Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that enthralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading.

W. H. Auden

Now you have mistaken me for Narcissus.

Rick Riordan -- The Blood of Olympus

"Porthos, you are as vain as Narcissus; I plainly tell you so," replied Aramis.

Alexandre Dumas -- The Three Musketeers

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The common herd is an old Narcissus who adores himself, and who applauds the vulgar herd.

Victor Hugo -- Les Miserables

And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned.

Herman Melville -- Moby Dick

Then the coiner, "So yawns thy mouth for its own harm as it is wont, for if I am thirsty, and humor stuffs me out, thou hast the burning, and the head that pains thee, and to lick the mirror of Narcissus thou wouldst not want many words of invitation."

Dante Alighieri -- Dante’s Inferno

The watery images may further portend disaster in recalling the myth of Narcissus, who, falling in love with his reflection in the water, attempted to join it and so drowned.

Thomas C. Foster -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor

The candour, nudity, pose, tranquility, youth, grace, sex, counsel of a statue erect in the centre of the table, an image of Narcissus purchased by auction from P. A. Wren, 9 Bachelor’s Walk.

James Joyce -- Ulysses

Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression, and all that.

This is the stage of Narcissus looking into the pool, of the Buddha sitting contemplative under the tree, but it is not the ultimate goal; it is a requisite step, but not the end.

Joseph Campbell -- The Hero With a Thousand Faces

Yet somewhere deep down a thin thread still ties us to that far-off misty Paradise, where Adam leans over a well and, unlike Narcissus, never even suspects that the pale yellow blotch appearing in it is he himself.

Milan Kundera -- The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Narcissus Off Duty During Princeton’s transition period, that is, during Amory’s last two years there, while he saw it change and broaden and live up to its Gothic beauty by better means than night parades, certain individuals arrived who stirred it to its plethoric depths.

F. Scott Fitzgerald -- This Side of Paradise

He could see his own reflection in a tiny pool edged with moss and lilypads, and he looked at himself for a moment, as fascinated as Narcissus.

Stephen King -- The Gunslinger

Angelo, then, evil Duke of Squamuglia, has perhaps ten years before the play’s opening murdered the good Duke of adjoining Faggio, by poisoning the feet on an image of Saint Narcissus.

Thomas Pynchon -- The Crying of Lot 49

He noticed particularly in the windows nosegays of tender, white, heavily fragrant narcissus bending over their bright, green, thick long stalks.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky -- Crime and Punishment

Anne came through the hall, her hands full of white narcissus,—it was long before Anne could love the sight or odor of white narcissus again,—in time to hear her and to see Matthew standing in the porch doorway, a folded paper in his hand, and his face strangely drawn and gray.

Lucy Maud Montgomery -- Anne Of Green Gables

He came back witha single narcissus.

William Faulkner -- The Sound and the Fury

Then up and up over a forest path and a gorge—then again up a hill that became solid with narcissus, from passengers to sky.

F. Scott Fitzgerald -- Tender is the Night

*pleasantness Nor was forgot the porter Idleness, Nor Narcissus the fair of *yore agone*, *olden times* Nor yet the folly of King Solomon, Nor yet the greate strength of Hercules, Th’ enchantments of Medea and Circes, Nor of Turnus the hardy fierce courage, The rich Croesus *caitif in servage.

Geoffrey Chaucer -- The Canterbury Tales

There would be the smell of crushed narcissus on the sidewalk and lights shining from the night tables of second-story windows.

Pat Conroy -- The Lords of Discipline

What was important was that it was a bright, sunny day; her first narcissus were in bloom, and the daffodils behind them were already showing flower buds.

Nevil Shute -- On the Beach

Her T-shirt read: MRS. NARCISSUS.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"I guess it takes a lot of narcissus to spell Catherine," Virgie called, when Cassie still did not pass her.

Eudora Welty -- The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty

"I guess it takes a lot of narcissus to spell Catherine," Virgie called, when Cassie still did not pass her.

Eudora Welty -- The Golden Apples

He was studying trypanosomes from a rat—an eight-branched rosette stained with polychrome methylene blue; a cluster of organisms delicate as a narcissus, with their purple nuclei, their light blue cells, and the thin lines of the flagella.

Sinclair Lewis -- Arrowsmith

"Narcissus," Echo agreed sadly.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Mrs. Narcissus tried to push Echo away, but she misjudged where the camouflaged girl was and ended up shoving several other nymphs.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

She was holding an autograph pen and a crumpled poster of Narcissus.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

But then Echo fell in love with our gorgeous guy, Narcissus—as if he would ever notice her.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"Now she’s got some weird idea he needs saving," said Mrs. Narcissus.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"I’m so glad Narcissus is alive again," said another nymph in a gray dress.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

She had the words NARCISSUS + LAIEA written up and down her arms in black marker.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

The whole mob began arguing while Narcissus stared at the lake, ignoring them.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

I need to ask Narcissus something.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Narcissus asked distractedly.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

His own reflection rippled next to Narcissus’s on the surface of the submerged bronze.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Compared to Narcissus, he looked like an undergrown troll.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

She wrinkled her nose as if she’d come to the conclusion that Narcissus smelled worse than he looked.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"Man," Leo said to Narcissus.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"I am so great," Narcissus sighed.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Narcissus didn’t even blink.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"I am so hot," Narcissus said sympathetically.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"I love me so, so much," Narcissus agreed.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Narcissus shook his head.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

"Excuse us," Leo told Narcissus.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

The nymphs clustered around Narcissus again and began recording new videos and taking more photos.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

Narcissus is going to stay there until he dies again.

Rick Riordan -- The Mark of Athena

If we take it away, it might give Narcissus a reason to snap out of it.